Last night I hosted an event for two of my clients. It was a great night and thankfully I had the support of good friends who helped make the overall event a success. There were the friends who bought tickets and came to the event. And then there were the friends who helped work the event. My friends and fellow PR gals Tina and Kristen sold tickets at the door, registered guests and collected money. They’ve both helped me out a lot recently and it’s been great to know I have PR gals on-call I can go to when the demands of my small business become to much for one mom trying to do it all.

My co-host Kristin and neighbor Kelly bought tickets and came out last night to enjoy the event. By doing so they supported my business. And for that I am truly grateful. Organizing events is really, really tough work. Don’t get me wrong here. I love nothing more than working with the caterer, selecting the venue, setting the mood for the party. I love that stuff. Whether it’s a baby shower, birthday party for a friend. Christmas dinner for my whole extended family, or a major black tie fundraiser, bring it on!

What is so hard about doing the type of PR events I do, is that you have NO CONTROL over who shows up, what media will and will not come to cover your event, what advance listings you’ll get in the local calendar sections, etc. I have had some great events in my career and I have had some real bombs. At one film screening I coordinated at the Boston Public Library I was actually accosting people on the way to the bathroom and begging them to come sit down for our screening.

People used to come out for events! Is it because you can do so much from the comfort of your own home now—watch tv shows when you want to watch them, surf the Internet for hours, connect with people online—that no one feels they need to do it in person anymore?

Sometimes I feel like I am always asking my friends to buy tickets, show up, make a donation, come out to some event that perhaps they have no interest in. I invite not because I need the warm bodies (although sometimes I do). I invite because I think they will enjoy themselves.

Are we so busy doing the stuff we HAVE to do that we have no time for the things we WANT to do?